BMW motorcycle owners... - Dorkiphus.net
Navigation » Dorkiphus.net > Technical & Track Disussions > BMW Technical Discussions » BMW motorcycle owners...

BMW Technical Discussions BMW related technical discussions and questions go here.

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 07-22-2014, 09:39 PM
pookie's Avatar
pookie pookie is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Knoxville TN
Posts: 1,934
pookie
Default BMW motorcycle owners...

I know a lot of you guys ride motorcycles, and I even see some BMWs in your sigs. I'm currently watching Long Way Around on Netflix with their BMW GSs and I've been looking at BMWs.

I know they can take a beating and they eat up the miles but I dot really know anymore about them. Are they reliable? Are they DIY friendly? Are parts available for older ones?

This will be a ride around explore the back roads (including GSMNP) bike and maybe see some daily use. No cross country trips right now due to kiddos at the house.

Specific models I am looking at are:
R1200c - because Bond. James Bond.
F650GS
G650 cross country

Thanks
__________________
Ryan

1976 911S Targa 3.2 swap

Last edited by pookie; 07-23-2014 at 07:55 AM.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 07-22-2014, 10:06 PM
VaSteve's Avatar
VaSteve VaSteve is offline
Essential Personnel
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Western Prince William County
Posts: 13,891
VaSteve has one HoF thread
Default

Reliable? Yes.
DIY friendly? Yes
Parts available? Yes. There was an article in Roudel about how a dealer ordered all but 6 parts to make a brand new 1978 R100.
R1200c: even James Bond can't make that cool.
__________________
1983 911 SC Targa - 1990 944 S2
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 07-22-2014, 10:49 PM
ducatithunder's Avatar
ducatithunder ducatithunder is offline
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Annapolis, MD
Posts: 1,197
ducatithunder
Default

Id agree. Very reliable. Parts are usually fairly easy to get. I used to go to Bobs in Jessup when I rebuilt an old R100RS. They had most of what I needed and it was alot. Price .... its still a BMW, lol.

Tons of buddys rocking GS's. They love them. A few others had the larger K1200rs and swapped for the Kawasaki Concourse for a nice cruiser with rice rocket speed.
__________________
Current
07 Mini Copper S
99 Dodge Viper ACR
65 Shelby 427 SC
07 Ducati 1098
17 Alfa Giulia Quadrifoglio

Projects

86 "Backdate" 911 2.8 RSR
73 911 T Targa (Sold)
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 07-23-2014, 12:13 AM
cmartin's Avatar
cmartin cmartin is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Pasadena, MD
Posts: 7,577
cmartin
Default

GS's are big bikes, nothing wrong with that but you really need to ride one and figure out if it works for you. Lots of good options out there if you like the adventure look/idea/functionality for the price of a bmw abs repair.
__________________
78 SC, the 'Red Car'
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 07-23-2014, 06:24 AM
hberwald hberwald is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Woodstock, MD, usa
Posts: 110
hberwald
Default

since no one else said it...

www.bmwbmw.org local club, lots of advice, lots of "for sale" adds...
bmw R bikes are pretty much indestructible....mine has over 82K miles on it and that is just broken in...
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 07-23-2014, 06:27 AM
VaSteve's Avatar
VaSteve VaSteve is offline
Essential Personnel
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Western Prince William County
Posts: 13,891
VaSteve has one HoF thread
Default

BMWBMW is a local chapter of BMW MOA....like Potomac is to PCA.

Ibmwr.org is a good place to find bikes and parts for sale.
__________________
1983 911 SC Targa - 1990 944 S2
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 07-23-2014, 07:56 AM
pookie's Avatar
pookie pookie is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Knoxville TN
Posts: 1,934
pookie
Default

Quote:
R1200c: even James Bond can't make that cool.
What! How dare you! That scene was so realistic... J/K I have no idea why but I still like the R1200c for some reason. And thanks for the ibmwr link though I am headed over there now.

I was thinking they had to be somewhat DIY friendly for the guys you see taking them on round the world trips. I figured if those guys were taking them through Africa or wherever they were probably able to fix them with a rock and some sticks.

cmartin- I've not seen a GS in person, but they look HUGE in the Netflix series. They look tall and heavy. And how common is it for the ABS to need repair? I see ABS being an option on most models. Is it something to avoid? What other adventure suggestions do you have?
__________________
Ryan

1976 911S Targa 3.2 swap
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 07-23-2014, 08:27 AM
cmartin's Avatar
cmartin cmartin is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Pasadena, MD
Posts: 7,577
cmartin
Default

I took a rider class a few years ago and a poor guy dumped his GS while we did some tight parking lot cone drills. It took 2 people to pick it up. I think they are badass bikes and great for highway and some fire road type stuff but just didnt do it for me. Tons of folks love them so they are doing something right for sure.

I dont think they are troublesome but when/if stuff breaks it's a bmw and some systems are $$. Nothing wrong with that, just know what you are getting into.

One cool thing about bikes is there are so many different models, each one with a different compromise. After watching Long way around I wanted a GS, then I wanted a klr650, then it was a honda... each worked in it's own way.

klr650 is a great do just about anything bike, after 2008 especially, but the GS kills it on the highway. GS's are too big, too me, for offroad use, where the klr does pretty good. Lots of guys make me sound like a fool and do some crazy stuff offroad on a GS. Just depends what you want and are comfortable with.
__________________
78 SC, the 'Red Car'
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 07-23-2014, 09:02 AM
pookie's Avatar
pookie pookie is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Knoxville TN
Posts: 1,934
pookie
Default

cmartin- Do you have a KLR650? That is another one I like and I'd like to hear more about it.

I'm trying to find something that would fit me. I plan for it to see lots of time on the road as a commuter, and that will be its main purpose. I say I'd like to get out and explore the backroads, and fire roads of GSMNP, but with two little ones at home I choose to be at home a lot right now. But in the end I think I know this will mostly be a commuter type bike.
__________________
Ryan

1976 911S Targa 3.2 swap
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 07-23-2014, 09:21 AM
smdubovsky's Avatar
smdubovsky smdubovsky is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Silver Spring, MD
Posts: 5,281
smdubovsky has three HoF threadssmdubovsky has three HoF threadssmdubovsky has three HoF threads
Default

The Funduro (GS650) isn't very big. A girl in germany I "used to know" drove one and its fairly anemic. It has a rotax thumper and no shaft drive. BMW outsourced those to bring the cost down. As mentioned a KLR or something offroad will whoop up on the small GS. My brother just bought a V-strom which IMO is way better than the Funduro. His buddy has a KLR and the KLRs off-road prowess (and knobby tires!) show when the going gets rough (they do take fire roads and such in southwest VA). But the Vstrom absolutely walks away on pavement.

Any bike short of a light dirt-bike is hard to pick up. I can lever up my old "small" FZR w/ some difficulty and that was a mere 400# wet which is about as light as street bikes get. Anything like the bigger GSes or Honda African Twin that has their center of mass higher for ground clearance is a mess to get back upright but there are tricks how to do it (turn around, back to it, and use your legs!)

IMO, ABS is good for anything but a pure dirt bike (or dedicated track toy.) My duc is the last year to not have it standard and its the one thing that would make me upgrade. I ride mtbs alot and can slide one of those around all day but my right foot doesn't have the same delicate control that my left index finger does. I've prob slid the rear end of a bike on every panic stop I've ever made. Never dumped one but its touch to modulate your foot in a panic. So for a street bike w/ less than expert rider its adds a big safety margin (that I wish I had.)

Edit: Now seeeing your post about mostly road use. IMO, Don't buy a KLR (or any other dirt bike.) GREAT bike but its not a road bike. Just a dirt-bike w/ blinkers and tags to make it legal. A GS/Vstrom/multistrada etc that are road focused but can off-road some will be much more suitable/enjoyable.
__________________
Stephen
www.salazar-racing.com
1970 914/6 - 3.0L GT
1983 911SC - 3.32L IROC
1984 930
2008 S2R1000, dirt bikes (some gas, some electric), Sherco trials bike
Sold: 2001 Boxster (hers), 2003 996tt x50 , SpecE30, 1996 E36M3 GTS2 racecar, 2015 Mustang GT
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump